In 24 hours, Hurricane Epsilon’s rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds.
“Epsilon has continued to defy expectations,” forecasters wrote.
As of 8 p.m., the storm was moving west-northwest at 10 mph and was about 315 miles southeast of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds at 115 mph with higher gusts, according to the hurricane center. Bermuda, where tropical storm conditions are expected to begin Wednesday evening, is under a tropical storm warning.
Epsilon is large — with hurricane-force winds extending 25 miles out from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 450 miles from the center, mainly to the north.
When will Hurricane Epsilon near Bermuda?
On the forecast track, the center of Epsilon is expected to make its closest approach to Bermuda, east of the island, Thursday afternoon or Thursday evening. The storm is expected to be a strong Category 3 hurricane at that time with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is not a threat to the United States, though dangerous surf and rip current conditions are expected to spread to portions of the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next couple of days, forecasters said.
Epsilon, the 26th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, would be the third hurricane to pass near or over Bermuda this season. It’s the fourth major storm of the season.
After Epsilon passes Bermuda, forecasters say it will accelerate northeast toward the North Atlantic, away from any land. It will eventually merge with a cold front and become extra-tropical though it will likely still remain a powerful cyclone.
With over a month to go until hurricane season ends Nov. 30, the 2020 hurricane season is also pushing the 2005 record of 28 named storms.